


To Finish What He Started

by anxious_soul



Series: Tony Stark-Centric Series [44]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Blood and Violence, Bruce Banner & Tony Stark Friendship, Clint Barton & Tony Stark Friendship, Domestic Avengers, Gen, Hurt Tony Stark, I am not good with action scenes, I'm Bad At Summaries, I'm Bad At Tagging, Natasha Romanov & Tony Stark Friendship, Protective Avengers, Steve Rogers & Tony Stark Friendship, Tony Stark & Thor Friendship, Tony Stark Angst, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Tony Stark-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-12
Updated: 2019-02-12
Packaged: 2019-10-26 22:14:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17754458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anxious_soul/pseuds/anxious_soul
Summary: In which someone returns from the dead. Does he succeed in killing Tony?





	To Finish What He Started

**Author's Note:**

> Yet another Tony-whump, do I apologise or not? I'm glad I finally got round to writing this, though, as it's been on my mind for ages!

It was a Sunday, the day that all the Avengers regarded as their ‘lazy day’. No one would wake up before nine and would spend their mornings and some of the afternoons doing their own thing before gathering together to have dinner and watch movies in the communal living room.

 

Steve would wake the minute the clock turned nine; he’d wander down to the gym and spend a couple of hours in there (to some that wouldn’t be the best way to spend a so-called ‘lazy day’ but it made the blond happy. Once that was done he’d have a long shower before reading and/or sketching. 

 

Natasha was more or less the same. She’d wake up at nine and often run into Steve as the two reached the gym at the same time. Whilst Steve would go to the actual gym section, Natasha would wander to the other side of the room where it was set out like a dance room. Tony had actually added that section when it became apparent that Natasha wanted to continue her ballet, but found it difficult to do so on the normal gym floor. Once finished, the redhead would wander back to her room where she essentially spent an hour or two pampering herself. She’d have a nice and relaxing bath, often doing some reading, before doing some facials and painting her nails. Just having a nice pampering session because damn it, if she didn’t deserve one then no one did. 

 

Bruce spent the majority of the morning meditating before he’d head to the living room to do some quiet reading as the rest of the team would slowly join before the films would begin. 

 

Clint…well, he wasted _all_ of the morning away by sleeping and then when he’d _finally_ get up just gone noon, he’d go straight to the living room and mess on video games until movie time. Thor was the exact same and had gotten surprisingly good at the video games, much to the archer’s annoyance.

 

Then there was Tony, who slept as much as he could and tried to catch up on all of his missing sleep but with the plague of nightmares he received whenever he closed his eyes, he didn’t do too well. He’d spend most of his day in the communal living area, often working through some plans and paperwork in preparation for the following week. That being said, once he was done, he’d actually sit down and read. Who’d have thought that Tony Stark, Mr Technology-Is-My-Life enjoyed reading so much. The Avengers certainly didn’t expect it when they found him curled up in a big armchair with reading glasses on, a cup of _tea_ and a book. In fact, they had stared at him bewildered for quite a few minutes when they’d moved into the Tower. 

 

**——LINE BREAK——**

 

As such, no one was in the living room when Tony woke that morning. He’d barely gotten any sleep but had been determined to stay in bed _trying_ until it was _at least_ half nine. He made himself a cup of coffee and grabbed his reading glasses before making himself a To-Do list for the following week and going through whatever paperwork Pepper had been breathing down his neck to sign for the past few days. 

 

He had been seconds away from sitting down when he was thrown across the room, landing with a sickening thump and crack against the wall before sliding to the ground with a pained whimper. Once the stars above his head had faded, Tony stumbled to his feet and stared in shock and horror.

“Hello, Tony.”

“Obie…” He whispered, eyes wide and face white. He fell back against the wall when the bald and _dead_ man gave him a shark-like grin.

 

The two walked in a circle staring at each other just _waiting_ to see who’ll pounce first. 

“How are you alive?”

“I don’t know _and_ I don’t care.” He honest to god _cackled_ , “But I _do_ know that I want revenge. Like I should’ve done _all_ those years ago, I’m going to kill you, Tony. Once and for all.” 

“JARVIS!” Tony called only _just_ dodging the older man’s attack. The AI gave no response, “JARVIS! Suits, now!” He shouted,

“Oh, I shut your little _pet_ down. It’s just me and you now, my boy and I am not having anything interrupt my fun.” Obadiah grabbed down and slammed him down onto the ground with supernatural strength, “Huh. Whoever brought me back gave me an upgrade.” He smirked and threw Tony into the glass coffee table that had been sitting innocently in the midst of their fight. 

 

Tony was panting and gasping for air as he withheld whimpers and tears. He ached and hurt all over. Glass had cut into his skin, he was fairly certain he had a concussion and had Obadiah not broken his arm when he’d thrown him at the start…well, that last throw had _definitely_ broken it. He tried to crawl away, his working arm hooked across the couch’s arm in an attempt to hoick himself up but that failed. Obadiah just watched with an amused and entertained smile as the billionaire tried to flee. With an exaggerated sigh, the man walked over to him.

“Oh Tony, don’t you just look pitiful. Here let me help.” He pulled Tony up by his t-shirt and promptly threw him across the room once again, Tony toppled over the couch and the piece of furniture fell with him. He couldn’t hold the whimper in even if he tried.

 

A laugh brought him out of his pain induced trance and before he knew it, Stane was standing on his leg. There was a moment of silence before a thunderous crack echoed throughout the room. Tony wasn’t sure what was louder; his scream or the sound of his leg breaking. With a few kicks to his ribs and torso, Obie crouched down next to the broken man and ruffled his hair almost affectionately before grasping it tightly and leaning in close.

“This has been fun. You’re going to die now, Tony.” He whispered almost sadly, “Which is a shame, but I don’t know how long I’ll be here for so best get to it, you know?” The man reached down, ripping open Tony’s already ruined top. His hand clasped around the arc and he watched giddily as Tony’s eyes widened in horrified realisation. Weakly, the genius tried to pull Stane away. 

 

He failed.

Eagerly, Obadiah pulled.

Left behind was a gaping hole in his chest.

Pain consumed him as shrapnel crawled closer to his heart. 

Tony couldn’t breathe. 

Overjoyed sounds left Stane’s throat, covering the moans and whines coming from Tony.

Neglectful of the dying man, Obie poured himself a drink and turned the arc reactor over in his hands. 

Yearning looks were sent to the arc before Tony tried to crawl away to where one of the spares had been hidden in the room.

      

He was dragging himself along the glass covered floor, his stomach being cut into as he moved helplessly. He paid no attention to the sudden sound of boots crunching on the glass. A heavy foot landed on his broken leg and he stopped moving as a cry escaped him.

“Now, now, Tony.” Obadiah taunted as though the injured man was a naughty five-year-old, “I am going to enjoy a glass of your finest whilst I watch you die _agonisingly_ slowly. You’re not going to come out of this _again_.” The man sent another series of kicks to his ribs and Tony could hardly breathe -and considering he was struggling from the arc being removed, he was all but breathless. He grabbed Tony by the hair once more and lifted his head up before bringing it down hard on the ground.

 

**——LINE BREAK——**

 

Something felt _wrong_. Natasha found herself turning away from her book as she stared at her closed bathroom door. Something felt _very_ wrong. 

“JARVIS?” She whispered despite not needing to and when no response came, the redhead shot up out of the bath. She threw a towel around her body with no time to waste getting dressed, hastily grabbing a fully loaded gun, she ran down the stairs knowing that if something _was_ wrong, then it was best to use the stairs as the elevator wouldn’t leave her any amount of surprise on their possible intruder.

 

She wasn’t the only one with the same line of thought.

 

**——LINE BREAK——**

 

“Hey JARVIS, do you know if Tony has any more of the Sherlock books?” He received no answer, “JARVIS?” Steve stood up with wide eyes, when the AI said nothing, the blond hastily grabbed his shield and rushed down the stairs almost colliding with the redhead as he went.

 

**——LINE BREAK——**

 

Thor had woken and headed to his personal kitchen to snack on some - _many_ \- Pop-tarts. He froze. Darkness hung in the air. A stench of death covered the atmosphere. He stood abruptly, hand out as he summoned and grasped Mjölnir before he raced down the stairs almost crashing into the others as a single word sat on the tip of his tongue.

“Necromancy.” 

 

**——LINE BREAK——**

 

He bolted up from where he had been fast asleep. Clint wasn’t sure what, but something was happening and it wasn’t good.

“JARVIS?” When no response came, the sandy-haired man shot up and grasped his bow before running out of his room and down the stairs barely even registering his state of undress (he had boxers on and socks). He collided with Thor’s back when he met with the others.

 

**——LINE BREAK——**

 

Bruce had been meditating peacefully for several hours before he was forcefully brought back to reality as the Hulk growled inside his head. The growling increased and Bruce whimpered slightly as his alter ego roared.

“Blood. Death. Tinman.” The Hulk snarled to him and Bruce stood up worried.

“JARVIS, is Tony alright?” When no response came, the calm doctor rushed out of the room and down the stairs, almost tripping as he collided with Clint’s back. 

 

**——LINE BREAK——**

 

“If you’re here.” Steve started looking at the others,

“And you are.” Clint continued,

“Then something must be wrong with Tony,” Natasha concluded and as eyes turned to her, she smirked at the red that was quickly covering their cheeks (save for Clint as he had seen her in the nude many times due to missions). “I was in the bath and believe me, _I know_ how to _fight_ in a _towel_.” 

“Back on track. Does anyone know _what’s_ happened?” Steve demanded quietly,

“No. But I sense a dark and forbidden magic is in place.” Heads swivelled round to find normally cheerful Thor, looking serious and it creeped them out a bit. “I believe we have found the reason that our home was broken into the other night.” Thor paused for dramatic purpose, “Necromancy is in play.”

“Shit.” Clint muttered, “Shit. We’ve all got a bunch of dead guys on our plates and no offence to Tony, who is a decent fighter outside the suit, he won't be wearing the suit and whoever’s come back for him would have an advantage that he doesn’t.”

“But _we_ do have an advantage.” Bruce murmured, “The person who’s out there might not know we’re here.”

“What are we waiting for?” Snapped Natasha as she cocked her gun, the others raised their weapons in response, save for Bruce, who was telling the Hulk not to come out unless _absolutely_ necessary, because, at the minute, Tony probably needed the _doctor_ more than the raging beast.

 

**——LINE BREAK——**

 

Tony lay there dying painfully, his head was turned to the side so he was facing the corridor that held the closed lift doors and hidden stairways. Blood trickled down his face mixing with the tears that silently fell. He waited hopefully for one of his teammates to come out and help him. His broken leg burned more than his broken arm, his ribs screamed as bruises decorated his torso and he had a feeling he had some internal bleeding. His head felt broken and he couldn’t think straight. His heart was quickly being cut to pieces.

 

All while the man who did this sat sipping at amber liquor grinning as he tossed Tony’s mechanical heart in the air.

 

That was how the Avengers found him as they stormed out of the stairway with their weapons raised at Obadiah, who merely raised an eyebrow.

“Dear God, Tony!” Someone shouted in horror at the state of the man and that was all Bruce needed to start helping him.

 

The others stood in front of the doctor and the genius, their weapons raised as Obadiah continued to drink and ignore them. Bruce ripped the panel away that hid a spare reactor and remembering Tony’s ‘How-To-Save-Me-If-The-Arc-Goes-And-All-My-Hidey-Holes’ guide (and yes, that was what Tony called it), he hastily set to put it in. Tony’s breathing stuttered as a new arc reactor clipped into place before evening out. The doctor then set to grabbing the closest first aid kit and trying to do his best before they got the injured man to the hospital where _actual_ doctors could help him.

 

At the sight of his friends helping him and saving his life, Tony let his cinnamon eyes flutter to a close and welcomed the pain-free darkness with open arms. 

 

**——LINE BREAK——**

 

He woke to the unpleasant sight of white walls and an irritating sound of beeping machines. The smell alone told Tony where he was. 

 

The hospital.

 

Hands touched his back as they helped him sit up and as his vision focused, he saw all of the Avengers gathered in his private room. Thor was snoring loudly as he leaned against an equally loud sleeping Clint, Steve was in the corner looking out the window with a worried expression, Natasha was sitting beside his bed reading and Bruce was the owner of the hands that had helped him sit up. 

“Hey…” He croaked and heads shot towards him as everyone (even the sleeping pair) noticed he was awake.

“Tony!” They exclaimed,

“What happened?” He whispered turning away from their worried gazes,

“What do you remember?” Bruce asked being the more professional and calm one of the lot,

“I…” His eyes widened as everything came rushing back and he tried to choke back a sob, “Obie…Obadiah…how…what happened…to him?” His friends shared a glance with one another and Natasha grabbed his hand,

“Do you remember the other day when that woman in black -and _no_ not the movie you blithering idiot” Natasha said watching Clint go to open his mouth as she elbowed him, her gaze softened as she turned back to Tony, “How there were no signs of anything being stolen, she just loitered over a box for a few minutes before leaving?” Tony nodded, “She was a necromancer.” 

“We brought her in and interrogated her, she said she wanted revenge on you and somehow knew about this Obadiah Stane.” Steve continued, “So she decided to bring him back and…let him finish what he failed to do back in 2008.”

“The woman used this box of items to call Stane’s soul back to the earth as his body was never buried and was all but gone in the explosion that killed him.” Thor added, “So she used his belongings and well, you were gravely injured.” 

“I knew I should’ve gotten rid of that box.” Was all Tony could think to say, “I just…he _was_ my godfather, practically my father. I…I kept it because I wanted to fool myself into thinking that his sudden desire for my death was merely his greed overcoming any sense.” He whispered and the others just smiled at him sadly as Tony moved his working arm towards his face, his hand shielding his eyes as tears slipped onto the blanket. 

 

**——LINE BREAK——**

 

When he was finally released from the hospital, the first thing Tony did was grab that locked box in the back of his wardrobe. He went to open it but forced himself to stop. 

 

He burned the box and all the items. The final pieces memorabilia of Obadiah Stane was gone. Burned up and thrown away. The team -the _family_ of broken people joined together to celebrate Tony’s release from the hospital. 

 

(Secretly, they all celebrated the end of the man that did the worst thing to Tony, that betrayed him in the worst of ways. The only good thing about Obadiah Stane? Had he not done what he did back in 2008, Iron Man would never have existed). 

**Author's Note:**

> Anyone spy the 'hidden' message? I just randomly put it in there, I don't know why to be honest. 
> 
> Please feel free to send me prompts either here or on [my tumblr](https://anxious---soul.tumblr.com) -I'm running low on ideas at the moment!
> 
>  
> 
> Anyway,  
> Thank you for reading,  
> Hope you enjoyed this,  
> Please leave a kudos and a comment  
> 


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